Catalyst | by Jako Boren
In New York City, a staggering number of young adults are out of school, out of work (OSOW) or in low paying jobs. Many supplement with government aid in order to live, with little incentive or motivation for career advancement. Despite the City’s dedicated policies and investments in youth workforce development, only a portion of their programs address these OSOW young adults. Without developing the knowhow or means to change their circumstances, income immobility will become an escalating problem with ripple effects harming the City’s economy for years to come. Jako Borren, Director of Program Operation at Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation, the nation’s first community development corporation, identifies key deficits, missed opportunities and negative effects of the prevailing ‘transactional’ youth program model.
